BENEFICIAL INSECTS 



233 



may be tried and will probably prove successful. Its suc- 

 cess will be doubly assured if some parent who under- 

 stands bee keeping and is interested in the school will 

 direct and assist the children in their work. The follow- 

 ing suggestions are offered to help such a group of children. 

 They embody the results of four years of experimenting 

 as to the simplest methods of demonstrating the life of 

 the hive.^ 



First a " nucleus hive," i.e., a little hive, may be made 

 with an ordinary one-pound section and a glass case to fit 

 over it. To arrange this select a partially filled section of 

 honey and drive small 

 brads into the corners, 

 letting the heads stick 

 out one-half of an inch 

 below for it to stand on 

 and a quarter of an inch 

 at the sides to insure 

 room for the bees to 

 pass between the section and the glass case that is to 

 cover it. Next cut pieces of glass the right size to 

 make a glass case to slip over the section. The front 

 glass must be cut one-quarter of an inch short to allow a 

 space for the bees to go in and out at the bottom in front. 

 Fasten this together with half-inch strips of black cotton 

 cloth and glue, laying the strips over the corners. After 



Fig. 97. Nucleus Hive 



1 If local libraries or the neighborhood are not supplied with books on 

 bees, the class should get Bulletin No. i, United States Department of 

 Agriculture, " The Honey Bee," by Frank Benton. It may be obtained 

 from the Superintendent of Documents, Union Building, Washington, D.C., 

 for 25 cents. 



